Slug vending machine



April 1944- J. B. BOCANEGRA SLUG VENDING MACHINE Filed Mai-ch 1a, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 142v 47 ygj 4515 INVENTOR.

p l 4- I J. B.-BOCANEGRA 2,346,004

SLUG VENDING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

April 4, 1944.

Win53} J. B. BOCANEGRA SLUG VENDING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1939 lHjw nllilnnmu.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 glll l l lllllllllu1Hminim INVENT OR.

Patented Apr. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,346,004 sLUG VENDING MACHINE John B. Bocanegra, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 18, 1939,.S'erial No. 262,593

2 Claims. 01.194 33) T The present invention relates generally to machines for vending telephone slugs, but is of such a character that it may be adapted for a variety of uses in diiferent types of coin machines.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide amachine which upon the manipulation thereof after the insertion of a coin such as a nickel therein will effect the ejection or discharge of a telephone slug and upon. the insertion of the particular slug discharged from the machine (in case the person is unable to use the telephone slug) a coin such as a nickel will be ejected by the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified construction" of a slug vending machine which will not only eject a slug upon the insertion of a coin therein, but will return the coin when the supply of slugs has become exhausted in the magazine of the machine. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction of slug vending machine which will prevent the insertion of a metal slug or penny in substitution of a coin of proper value.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved slug vending machine in which containers or magazines for the sings and coins are adapted to be removed therefrom fo emptying or refilling them.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact and easily accessible slug vending machine in which the coin and slug slides thereof are mounted in a cover casing which in turn is pivoted to the main casing so that the same may be swung upwardly and a door on' the main casing opened for removing-the slug and coin magazine therefrom.

These and other objects are accomplished. by

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved.

slug vending machine;

the depositing ofa coin when the supply of-slugs in the magazine has become exhausted;

':Fig.;8is a similar cross sectional view of the coin slide being manipulated through its full stroke in its operation of depositing a coin. and ejecting a slug;

Fig.. 9 is a fragmentary cross sectional; view taken on the line 9-9 in Fig. 3;.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken onthe line Ill-4D in Fig, 5 showing. the magnet construction for stopping the metal slug of magnetic properties if the. same .is inserted in the coin slot;

Fig.- 11 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on theline I l--! I in Fig. 3 of the mechanism for locking the pivoted cover to the main casinggand the latch mechanism for detachably securing the rear panel to the casing;

- Fig. 12 is. a fragmentary cross. sectional view showing the manner in which the magnet operates; on a metal slugof magnetic properties to,

render the device inoperative to discharge a s u 1 .Fig'. 13is.a reduced side ,elevational view show-v ing the manner in which the cover casing is swung upwardly about its pivot on the main casing, the door-openso that access to the maga-.

zines may be'had;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the lines l t-i i in Fig. 2 of the drawings;

I piece or smaller. coin or slug is inserted instead Fig; 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the.line

2-2 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on theline.

33 inFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line lin Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is'across sectional view taken on theline- 5-5 in Fig. 2;

of the intended coin Fig. 16 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectionalview taken on the line Iii-46 in Fig. 3 ;of the shown the same as. comprisinga; base member l-5- which has a depression. [6 on the forward side, thereof for receiving the slugsand coins ejected;

2 from the machine. Mounted on the base member i5 is a rectangular main casing I'I on the forward side of which is a pivoted door I8 connected to the casing by means of hinges |9. At the lower end of the door are two slots 20 and 2| through which the coin and slugs respectively are discharged or ejected. Pivotally mounted by oppositely disposed screws or hinges 22 to the opposite sides of the main casing is a cover casing 23. Mounted in the casing cover 23 are coin sliding mechanism and the slug sliding mechanism and the associated parts thereof, the details of which will hereinafter be more fully described. Mounted on the rear side of the main casing I! is a removable panel I1 which is adapted to have its lower end inserted as shown at l6 forwardly of the rear wall of the base l5 (see Fig. 5) and its upper end detachably secured in position by a spring actuated latch l5. The latch I5. is pivotally mounted at M to a bracket l3 which in' turn is secured to the bottomside of the plate 56. The latch I5 engages a lock member l9 secured to the panel I 1. Mounted in the bottom of the cover member 23 and encasing the essential operating parts of each of the sliding mechanisms is a frame member orbottom plate 24. Pivotally secured to the forwardly projecting end of the bottom plate 24 is a depending lock supporting member 25 in which a locking device and key generally indicated by the reference character 26 is adapted to engage an aperture 21 for locking the cover against opening or to permit the cover to be opened to gain access to the magazines which contain coins and slugs. The locking mechanism 25 is normally depressed or disengaged from the aperture 21 in the door when the key unlocks the same by a spring 28 encased in the housing 29 and normally pressing a pin 30 against the upper end of the lock supporting member 25. (See Figs. 2 and 11.)

Mountedwithin the casing l! in vertical spaced apart relation are coin and slug magazines or receptacles 3| and 32 respectively which are in the formof tubular members. The inside diameters of each of these tubular members are substantially the diameter of a coin and a slug respectively. The lower ends of the members 3| and 32 are provided with oppositely disposed feet 33 which areadapted to rest on the upper surface of the base member I5 as clearly shown in Fig; 2 of the drawings Projecting downwardly below the feet 33 are lugs 34 which are'adapted to be seated in complementary recesses in the top por--.

tion of the base I5. Spaced from the lower end of each of the tubular members 3| and 32 so as to provide-recesses 35 in the front and rear of each of the tubular members is a disc-like member 36 on which the coin 31 and slug 38 respectively are adapted to rest. The forward recesses 35 between the lower ends of the tubular members 3| and 32 and the disc 36 are the openings through which the slug and coin may be ejected from-each of the respective magazines 3| and 32. The openings on the rear sides of each of these tubular members provide a space through which the ejector is actuated inits normal actuation of ejecting the coin or slug; the details of which will be hereinafter more fully described. a

The ejection mechanism for ejecting a coin or slug from the-lower ends of each of; the respective coin and slug receptacles 3| and 32 comprises the reciprocable ejection members 39 which are-slidably mounted between the base plate l5 between opposite guide members 40. (See Fig. 4.) The forward ends of these ejection members 39 are curved as shown at 4| so as to conform to the curvature of the coin or slug and are adapted to reciprocate through the slots or recesses 35 in the rear ends of each of the tubes 3| and 32 for ejecting a coin or slug during their manipulation. The rear ends of these ejection members 39 are provided with upstanding ears 42 to which are pivotally attached ejection actuating bars 43 and 44 respectively. Each of these actuating bars normally returns the ejector 39 to its rearmost or non-ejecting position or the position shown in Fig. 4 by means of curved coil springs 45 which have one of their ends secured to a partition wall 46 and their other ends connected to the lower endsof each of the bars 43 and 44 respectively as shown at 41.

In order to prevent the deposit of a coin into the device when the slug supply in the slug magazine or tube 32 has become exhausted, or prevent the deposit of a slug when no coin is present in the magazine or tube 3|, I have provided a gravity latch 48 which is pivoted at 49 on a bracket member 50 secured to the lowersurface of the base plate l5. (See Fig. 5.) When no coin or slug is seated in either of the magazines or tubes 3| and 32, the gravity actuated latch 43 assumes the dotted line position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and in that position the upwardly projecting lugs 5|. project into the path of the reciprocating ejector 39 and in the manner hereinafter described, prevent the deposit of a coin or slug by the operating slide. However, when a coin or slug is present in the respective tubes or magazines 3| and 32, the weight of the same actuates the stop 5| of the latch 48 out of the path of the ejector or to the full line position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, so that upon an actuation of the ejector 39 the coin or slug will be ejected through the forward slot 35 upon the manipulation of the coin or slug slide. The operative connections between the slides and the ejectors will hereinafter be more fully described. Each of the magazines 3| and 32 are removably detachable from within the casing ll for refilling theslug magazines and for removing the coins from the coin magazine by means of a spring .actuated latch 52 pivotally mounted at 53 to a bracket 54 which in turn is secured to the upper rear side of each of the magazines. The free end of the latch 52 is adapted to engage or lock on a locking member 55, which in turn is se-y cured to a horizontal transverse wall 55 of the casing (See Fig. 5.)

The mechanism for depositing the coin and the. mechanism for depositing the slug together with the associated operating parts thereof are wholly contained within the pivoted. cover section or casing 23. These mechanism comprise a reciprocable coin slide 51 and a reciprocable slug slide 58. The reciprocable coin slide 51 is guided in a rectilinear direction by oppositely disposed guide rails 59 which injturn are secured to the bottom plate 24 of the cover casing 23 by means of screws '60. The slide 51 is normally actuated to its: outermost position by a compression spring 6| which has one end thereof engaging the rear wall of thecover casing 23 and the other end thereof engaging the laterally disposed lug 62 formed on one edge of the slide 51. (See Figs. 3 and 14.) The slide 51 has a rectangular recess on the inner rear edge, one end of which is indicated by the reference character 63 which forms the stop by engagement with the upper end, as shown at 64,

of the ejecting lever 33. (See Figs. 8 and 14'.) The forward edge of said slotas indicated by 65 forms the actuating portion to actuate the ejecting lever $3 to eject the slug, upon the inward actuation of the coin slide 51'. Positioned between each of the slides '5 and- 53 and the. bottom 24 of the cover casing 23 are stationary base plates 56. The upper ends of both of the ejection rods 43 and 14 extend through suitableslots and apertures in each of the plates 56, 2d and 6% so as to bein position to be actuated by the respective coin and slug slides 57 and 53. As clearly shown in-Figs. 3"

to 9 inclusive, the forward end of the slide 5'! is provided with a circular-coin slot 61 which conforms exactly to the diameter of a nickel or five-cent piece. Concentric with the circular slot 6'! in the slide 5lwhen the same is in its outermost position, are circular apertures 58 in each of the members 66 and -24 soas to permit the finger to be inserted from below to remove the coin from the circular recess 8? when the occasion arises. The actuating levers 43 and 44 for ejecting the coin or slugs are fulcrummed in spaced apart apertures 69 located in the transverse horizontalmember ill which has its opposite ends secured .to'the inside side walls of the casing i'l. (See Figs. 5, 9 and 11.) Extending rearwardlyfrom the circular slot tilt in'the slide 57! is a longitudinally extendingrectangular slot ll. One corner of the junction between the circular slot ti and the longitudinal slot H asshownat 12 is turned down slightly while the opposite. corner as shown at -l3 is turned up slightly. The purpose of these turned corners arefor returning metal slugs or pennies when inserted in place'of the coin or a nickel intended. In other words, the device isso constructed that it will reject every type of coin with the exception of anickel coin. The operation of this particularmechanism will hereinafter be more fully described.

Extending over both slides is ail-inverted U- shaped bracket or frame member 14 which has its opposite-ends secured to the bottom plate 24 of the covercasing 23. Depending from the U- shaped member ill. and spaced with respect to each other are hanging brackets l5 to which is pivoted as shown. at "it a control lever ll. 1 The forwardend of. the control lever has a downwardly and inwardly curved surfaceas shown at 78. This curved surface is in the form of laterally projecting flanges. Terminating. at the inner end of the curved surface i3 is a downwardly projecting relatively small cam-like .lug lfi-lwhich performs the function of elevating the for-ward end ofthe lever ll when a coin is moved in its normal path. Whenthe proper coin is inserted in the circular slot 61 of the slide 5'! the upwardly curved-portion or corner 73 of the slide filcooperates with the curved flange surface it of the control lever I! to elevate the forward-end of the control lever 11 against the action of the spring Bil. After the lever ll is thus partially. raised the coin. engages the cam lug iii to further. raise the lever for the purpose hereinafter set forth, The rearward end of the control member Tl is provided with an upwardly turned lug or stop iii which is located in the path ofand adapted to engage a horizontally disposedportion 82 of the bracket member 83 secured to the top side of the slide 51 adjacent the lever 71. With this construction, if no coin is inserted in the coin slot 61 in the slide 5! and the slide ismoved inwardly theforward end of the control.lever-'i 'i willnot be raised-and theinwardmotionv or the slide will be stopped when. the bracket 82' strikes the lug or stop 8| on the rear end of the lever. This operation is clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. It will also be obvious that'when the slide is stopped at this point no movement can be imparted to the ejector lever 43 for ejecting a slug. In this connection it will also. be noted that if a slug is inserted so as to raise the forward end and depress the rearward end of the lever H the bracket 32 will ride over the stop Bi and the actuating edge of the slide 5'! will actuate or engage the upper end fi l of the ejector lever 43. .If a slug is not present in the slug magazine or tube 3-2 so as to depress the lug 5| of the gravity actuated lever 48, the ejector member 39 will not be free to pass beneath the tube to eject a slug. In other words, should the supply of, slugs become depleted the device is rendered inoperative and the coin is returned by the slide 5?.

Another important feature of the present invention is to prevent the employment orinsertion of magnetic slugs in the coin slot. This mechanism includes a horseshoe magnet generally indi-. cated by the reference character 85 which has its rounded U-shaped portion suitably seated in a complementary bracket 85 which in-turn is suite ably secured to the frame structure or base within the cover casing 23. As shown in Figs; 5 to 19.

inclusive, the, horeshoe magnet is placed at an angle so that the ends thereof overhangin aposition forwardly as well as above'the. coin mag azine or tube iii. The forward ends of the: mag-- net are positioned over the normal path of the incoming coin so that if a magnetic slug is placed in the coin slot 51 and the same is moved inwardly, the magnet will immediately attract the coin upwardly so, that the same will engage-theme Wardly projecting oppositely disposed lugs 8?! formed on the guide rails 59. These lugs 8i! are positioned above the pathof the incoming coin, but when a magnetic slug is used, the magnet attracts it upwardly to engage the-lugs 8&3, and thereby preventpfurther inward movement of the slide to render the device inoperative to-discharge the telephone slug. (SeeFigs. 10., 12 and 17.) In Fig. 17 a slug indicated by the reference character 8! is shown stopped againstthe lug. 83. When the device is rendered inoperative by the insertion of a magnetic slug, it assumes the posi-- tions shown in Fig. 17 and the return of the slug from this position is accomplished by the curved,

I up corner '13 of the slide 57 engaging the inner edge of the metal slug and moving. in outwardlyv Another important feature of the invention inv cludes means for'ejecting pennies or other slugs not attracted by the magnet and of smaller diam eter than the coin to be used. This means includes a recess or depression 88 of substantially the diameter of a one cent piece. The inner end of the depression or recess terminates in the shoulder or stop 89 while the forward portion of the recess is beveled as shown at 9!! so that when a penny or'a slug of smaller diameter than a five cent piece is used, it will slide into this rceess88 i and its" inner-edge will strike againsta semicircular stop or shoulder 89 and prevent further inward movement of the slide 51 to discharge a slug in the manner herebefore described.

The slug slide 58 operates somewhat similarly to the operation of the coin slide in that it is reciprocable between the guide members 9| and is provided with a slug recess in circular form as shown at 92.. Concentric to and of the same diameter as the recess 92 in the stationary plate 66 below the slide 59 is a circular recess 93 in which a removable disc 94 is secured therein by a thumb nut and bolt 95. The bolt extends through an aperture 95' through the plate 24. A. variety of patterns of discs like the disc 94 may be provided with spaced ribs complementary to grooves similar to those shown at 96 in the slug 38 so that only one pattern or type of telephone slug maybe returned to the device in exchange for the coin ejected. With such an arrangement a person using the device may be assured that the particular telephone slug the machine is dispensing can only be used to return the coin. Secured to the bottom plate 24 is a vertical sleeve 88. Reciprocally mounted in the sleeve 88 is a spring actuated pin 89 which is adapted to be actuated through aligned apertures 99 in the disc 94 and the plate 24 to lift a slug from the recess 92. A spring 92' normally depresses the pin 89 to its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 16 of the drawings. In the present instance, the telephone slug illustrated is provided with cord-like V- shaped grooves 99. The grooves of this particular type are complementary to parallel ribs 91 in a transverse member 98 secured by means of screws 99 with the guide 9 I (See Fig. 2.) The slug slide 58 is also provided with V-shaped grooves 96' to accommodate the complementary ribs 91 in the member 98. With this arrangement it will be obvious that a variety of types of members 98 having different configurations of ribs thereon or ribs of diiferent spacing so that only a particular type of telephone slug may be inserted into the machine for the return of the coin. The slug slide member 58 is normally returned to its outermost position by a compression spring I99 which has one end thereof contacting the rear surface of the cover casing 23 and the other end thereof engaging a laterally projecting bracket I9I secured to one side of the slide 58. The slide 58 is provided with a longitudinal slot as shown at I92. Located in the path of the slot is the upper end I93 of the ejector lever 44. The rear end of this slot I92 as shown at I92 of the slide 58 engages the upper end I93 of the ejector bar 44 to stop the slide in its outermost movement. The inner end of the slot I92, that is, the laterally projecting lug I92, forms the contacting member for actuating the upper end I93 of the ejector lever 44 to eject a coin in the manner similar to the ejection of a coin hereinbefore described. Pivotally mounted in a similar manner as the control lever TI is a second control lever I94 which is pivotally mounted to hanger brackets I95 secured to the underside of the inverted U-shaped member I4. (See Figs. 2 and 16.) The forward end of the control lever I94 is provided with a downwardly projecting bevelled nose I94 which normally seats itself in a longitudinal recess I95 in the slug slide 58. From the above it will be seen that upon the insertion of a slug in the recess 92 of the slide 58 and upon inward manipulation of the slide 58, the slug will engage the forward bevelled end or nose I94 of the control member I94 to elevate the same, while the rearward end of the lever I94 isdepressed so that the lug I96 on the rear end of the lever I94 will ride under a stop bracket I91. If no slug is inserted in the recess 92 and the slide 58 is manipulated inwardly, a spring I98 will normally hold the forward end of the control lever I94 downwardly and at the same time will hold the lug I93 on the rear end of the control member in a position to engage the bracket ID! to stop the further inward movement of the slide, thereby preventing the lug IN on the slide 58 from engagement with the upper end I93 of the ejection lever 44 to be manipulated. Under the circumstances, no coin will be ejected when a slug is not inserted.

Summarizing the advantages as well as the operation of my improved slug dispensing machine, it will be readily seen that I have provided a compact and easily accessible device and one in which the coin magazine or slug magazine may be quickly removed from or replaced therein by merely unlocking the latching member 26, tilting the casing member 23 about its pivot 22, opening the door I8, manipulating the latch 52 and springing the upper end of the magazines forwardly to remove them therefrom and reversing the operation for replacing the same.

It will be obvious also that by inserting a coin such as a nickel or five cent piece in the coin slot 61 of the slide 5'! and manipulating the slide inwardly, the shoulder 65 of the slide 51 will engage the upper end 64 of the ejector lever 43 to eject the lowermost slug in the slug magazine 32. It will also be observed that if the slug magazine is empty, the gravity latch 48 will prevent the manipulation of the ejector and the nickel will be returned by the slide.

It will also be observed that by the use of the magnet that slugs of the same diameter as the coin will be attracted thereto and render the device ineffective to discharge a slug. In this connection it will also be noted that slugs made from non-magnetic properties and of smaller diameter than the coin intended will render the machine ineffective to discharge or eject a telephone slug.

While in the above specification I have described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will of course be understood that the same is capable of modification and that modification may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope or" the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What I claim is my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A slug vending machine comprising a casing, a coin magazine mounted in said casing, a slug magazine mounted in said casing, an ejecting mechanism mounted in said casing below each magazine, a pivoted door mounted on said casing to permit access to said magazines, an upwardly swinging cover pivoted to said casing above said door and said magazines, a coin slide mechanism mounted in said cover and positioned over said coin magazine for depositing a coin into said coin magazine, operative connections between said coin slide and one of said ejecting mechanisms for ejecting a slug from said slug magazine, a slug slide mechanism mounted in said cover and positioned over said slug magazine for depositing a slug into said slug magazine, operative connections between said slug slide and the other of said ejecting mechanism for ejecting a coin from said coin magazine, and means whereby said cover and said coin and slug slides may be swung upwardly and said door opened so that access to said magazines may be had.

2. A slug vending machine comprising a casing, a coin magazine mounted in said casing, a slug magazine mounted in said casing, an ejecting mechanism mounted in said casing below each magazine, a door mounted on vertical pivots on said casing to permit access to said magazines, a cover mounted on horizontal pivots on said casing above said door and said magazines, a coin slide mechanism mounted in said cover and positioned over said coin magazine for depositing a coin into said coin magazine, operative connections between said coin slide and one of said ejecting mechanisms for ejecting a slug from said slug magazine, a slug slide mechanism mounted in said cover and positioned over said slug magazine for depositing a slug into said slug magazine, operative connections between said slug slide and the other of said ejecting mechanism for ejecting a coin from said coin magazine, and means whereby said cover and said coin and slug slides may be swung upwardly and said door opened so that access to said magazines may be had.

JOHN B. BOCANEGRA. 

